《Dao of Repetition》


 Prologue

    This story, a tale that will later be sung across the kingdoms for thousands of years, began in a dim room where the only source of light was a small copper lantern, swinging gently in the summer breeze, just as insignificant as the old man himself standing in his workshop. However, as we all know, one¡¯s fate is not set in stone. Not now, not ever.


    The old man wore an unkempt robe that was just as white as his hair. He stood over the table and prepared himself for what he was about to finally do. The jade cauldron on top of the table, put between several books and bottles of green liquid, had a seahorse carved in the beautiful gemstone, followed by fine lines that curved right and left, detailing waves in the sea. One would say the cauldron is exquisitely crafted, at least compared to the old man himself.


    "This should be it," said the man quietly in the dim light. His gentle brown eyes carried the hint of a great ambition as they looked into the cauldron.


    The old man pulled up his sleeves and grabbed one of the bottles with green liquid inside. They were containers of herbal extract, the essence of several common herbs merged into one. He carefully opened the lid and slowly poured the extract into the cauldron.


    "The next step... I need to properly control the heat," he murmured, using his energy in to lift the cauldron in the air. He then conjured a ball of fire underneath as means to heat up the herbal extract.


    Sweat was evident on the old man''s wrinkled forehead. After all, it was not easy for a man in his age to still refine potions with the cultivation of mere energy condensation.


    As the herbal extract began to boil, the old man took control of it with the Thousand Fingers Technique. For mortals, those who have yet to take the first step toward immortality, he would at this moment look like a puppeteer without dolls, doing weird, sprawling movement with his fingers.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    However, for cultivators, those who had opened the mind''s eye, enabling them to see the heaven and earth energy that permeates everything, they would see how the old man cleverly used strings of his own gathered energy to control the herbal extract, using them to tie up the extract into a ball. Or rather, into a pill the size of a thumb.


    The process of confining the herbal extract into a ball took more than an hour before it was near completion. The old man¡¯s body was shaking from fatigue and his energy was almost depleted. He continued only by sheer willpower. If not for his great ambition, and the fact that this pill was the first step toward that ambition, he would have fallen unconscious long ago.


    Finally, a snap was heard. The old man took a deep breath and a smile appeared on his face as everything became black. As he fell onto the floor with a loud bang, there was another sound that couldn¡¯t be heard. It was the pill, hitting the bottom of the cauldron with a low clang. The pill was smaller than the size of a thumb, actually, but seemed full of life nonetheless.


    ¡°D-did I succeed?!¡± as the old man woke up, he hurried over to the cauldron with his still tired body. He grabbed the pill inside as if it was the most prized treasure of the world, crying and laughing at the same time. The hint of ambition inside his eyes grew even stronger.


    ¡°I finally did it! Who said I didn¡¯t have any talent! Who said I will never become a good cultivator! With this pill, with my Dao, the great Dao of Repetition, what is talent?! No matter how talented those youngsters are, how can they match up to my great Dao!¡± the old man shouted. ¡°They practice a skill thousands of times and become experts? I will practice it a million times and still become an expert!! And then,hahah, I will practice it hundred million times more and become a master. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll even become the best!¡±

 Chapter 1

    Commander Robert Balo ran through the clan grounds without sparing a single glance to anything else. There was only one goal in his mind. Relay the news to the head.


    Robert was a stout man and a member of the clan¡¯s private army which was formed by the clan head some hundred years ago when the clan had too much money to spend. In fact, he held the highest position there, and so wherever he went in the clan, admiration and gasps followed. So for him, a man who was looked up to as much as that, to be running like this, merely to relay news to the clan head, was a bit degrading in his opinion.


    On the other hand, if the news that he had received weren¡¯t told to the clan head before the clan head himself received them, then that would implicate more trouble than commander Robert Balo wanted to have.


    ¡°Let me in,¡± he said to the guards as he arrived outside the palace. ¡°I need to speak with the clan head. It¡¯s very urgent!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir commander!!¡± the guards opened up as quickly as they could. The orders of a commander were absolute.


    As Robert came in, he immediately bowed down on one knee and paid his respect. ¡°Clan head!¡±


    A silence overhung the inside of the palace and Robert instantly felt something was wrong.


    ¡°M-my lord?¡± he asked slowly and looked up, only to find the clan head in his chair, surrounded by several other people. These people were all very well-dressed and the clan head didn¡¯t treat them any less than he would treat big shots from the capital. And needless to say, for him to treat them like this meant that they were no less important than himself.


    John Balo¡¯s eyebrow twitched. He was over 300 years old and one of the most powerful cultivators in the kingdom, being a very valuable asset to every faction striving for the throne. It was very rare to see him angry or upset, not to mention today, when all the powerful clan heads in the kingdom had come to celebrate his second son¡¯s advancement to Energy Solidification.


    ¡°M-my lord, I d-didn¡¯t know y¨C¡±


    John forced smile. ¡°Gentlemen, this is the commander of the Balo Private Army. Robert Balo.¡± the middle aged looking man told the people in the room. ¡°And it seems I must excuse myself for a moment. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    One of the people stepped forward with a smile on her face.


    The woman was strikingly beautiful, and yet, probably older than even john himself. She had silver hair ¨C like the moon ¨C full lips, and two pair of brilliant, blue eyes that were unfathomable to guess even though eyes themselves are said to be the gate to the soul.


    ¡°Madam Alsana,¡± John said lightly.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    She had come from the kingdom of Dalania and it had taken but 50 years for her to become one of the strongest forces here in the kingdom of Kalamora. Out of everyone here, she was the one John feared the most. Not only was her cultivation above his, making it impossible for him to see though what stage and realm she had reached, but she was also incredibly good with business. While his clan focused on alchemy, her clan, the Geovia clan, was the top producer of enchantments, taking on all from cheap to expensive tasks.


    ¡°No problem -- we can wait.¡± she said again. ¡°One¡¯s clan always goes first. I¡¯m sure the others can agree with that.¡±


    The other clan heads nodded.


    "Thank you then, madam Alsana.¡± John replied and turned to the others. ¡°I will be back in a moment, friends.¡±


    John cleared his throat and walked out of the palace hall with Robert in his company. As they came outside, the middle-aged man spun his eyes in robert¡¯s. He clearly wasn¡¯t happy to be interrupted.


    ¡°Sorry, my lord. It¡¯s just that I received urgent news.¡± Robert explained. His large body but ashamed posture made him look rather comical.


    ¡°And what can be so important that you barge into my room when I have very, very important guests?¡±


    ¡°Well, my lord, It¡¯s your son¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°Your 53rd, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Hm, what about him? Has anything happened?


    ¡°Well, news about him is all over the capital, my lord.¡± said the commander. ¡°It turns out he concocted a foundation pill of the master quality with absolutely zero impurities. Master Jack Bane from the Alchemy association valued it to be worth hundred times the price of a normal one. I just received the news myself but it¡¯s already spread like wildfire.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± John¡¯s breath became ragged and his eyes almost escaped from their sockets. The old clan head had traveled across the world in his younger days and had now settled down as a powerful force to be reckoned with in the world, and yet, had never heard of a foundation pill, the most basic of pills, having zero impurities. ¡°Are you serious?¡± he asked. ¡°Did that kid really concoct a pill that unprecedented?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and with all due respect my lord, he¡¯s over eighty years old.¡± Robert laughed. ¡°He¡¯s not a kid anymore.¡±


    ¡°I know, but still,¡± John shook his head and sighed. ¡°I never expected him to be this talented in the area of alchemy. I sent him down to one of our refineries all those years ago so that he wouldn¡¯t have to compete with his brothers and feel dejected after losing because of his meagre talent. Instead I wanted him to live a good life. But now it seems I truly did misjudge him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, my lord.¡± Robert said. ¡°All flowers don''t bloom at the same time. Some buds take longer than others and some don¡¯t bloom at all. Actually, it could very well be a fluke. Maybe he was just lucy with the concoction.¡±


    John was silent for a moment. And then he said. ¡°Lucky or not, we must send him or congratulations. He¡¯s my son after all. How about it, send down an invitation for the clan gathering scheduled next month. Tell him that we will supply all materials needed if he can mass produce the pill. Well, as long as he agrees to split the profit fifty-fifty later on.¡±


    ¡°Very well, my lord.¡± Robert said. ¡°I will go there and speak with him myself.¡±


    John nodded and said. ¡°Yes but make sure to treat him as an equal. He might harbor a bad impression of the clan and me for sending him down to the refinery all those years ago, so it could prove hard to talk him over at first.¡±


    ¡°I will not disappoint you, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I know. You never do.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± John began as Robert was on the verge leaving the palace. ¡°haven¡¯t I told you to call me by my name when we speak in private? You know how I hate all these extravagant titles.¡±


    ¡°No can do, my lord.¡± said robert, smiling as his figure left the hallway.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± cursed the clan head smilingly as he saw his subordinate tell him off and then leave without waiting for a reply.

 Chapter 2

    Kevin Balo sat inside his workshop, looking through all the letters with red envelopes he had received. At some letters, he laughed, so much that tears crawled out from under his eyelids, and at others he merely snorted in anger or annoyance. Heck, they sure know how to flatter, don¡¯t they, he thought, and threw all the letters into the the bin that he normally used for failed products.


    After showing of the completed pill to the alchemist association, and gaining the evaluation of Master Jack, a famous and independent alchemist in the capital of Kalamora, old Kevin¡¯s name was spread across the whole city like wildfire. After all, his pill was the emergence of a pill of unprecedented quality, and it even had the approval and testimony of an alchemist such as Jack!


    ¡°I guess they should come soon. Hehe, I¡¯d better get myself ready,¡± the old man muttered with a devilish smile.


    Kevin walked over to the table and picked up the glass cage that contained the pill. It¡¯s green exterior was dull but inside a great, bustling vitality could be felt for those who had opened the mind¡¯s eye. Not a speck of dust tainted the green surface of the pill or the glass of the case.


    ¡°You see, everyone wants you, my little, little friend,¡± he said, the green pill reflecting in his gentle, oak-brown eyes. ¡°But will they get you? Will they take you from me? take away the product of these countless of years of labor?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see who takes what from who, won¡¯t we,¡± the old man snickered and put the box into his pocket. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go meet our precious guests.¡±


    Robert Balo swiftly made his way through the masses. He wore a black outfit and hid his face with a hood to make sure that there would be no unexpected accidents along the way. It was raining outside, and what poured down from the heavens was nothing but merciless and indifferent. The water mixed with soil, and the cobblestone main road was running with brown mud. Some beggars tried to protect themselves from the constant assault by hiding under the shit holes of houses, as those places were in fact quite safe from the rain.


    ¡°Disgusting,¡± scowled the black-clothed commander as he saw the sight of beggars hiding in the shit and piss. He wanted to quickly get the matter with the clan head¡¯s son done so that he could get out of the outer areas and back to the clan headquarters in the inner city. Only the poor and the beggars lived out here. Once upon a time, he had been one of them, as a child, living in the slums not far from here. But he had by the years begun to be repulsed by slum people even though he knew they had no choice than to do what they did.


    Finally, drenched from top to toe, with mud covered boots, he knocked on the door which belonged to Kevin Balo¡¯s house.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± answered a voice by pulling up the small hatch in the middle of the door.


    ¡°I come from the Balo clan, on behalf of your father,¡± Robert said politely. ¡°Do you mind letting me in? The weather isn¡¯t too nice out here you know.¡±


    The hatch closed and several seconds passed in silence.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    A couple of mechanical sounds were heard. The door opened and the face of an old man with white hair was revealed. Robert wrinkled his nose. A son of John Balo and still can¡¯t get past the second level of Energy Condensation, thought Robert, what a waste of a good bloodline.


    As he inspected the old man¡¯s shallow cultivation, Kevin did the same to the drenched man.


    He¡¯s looks just like he did when I was a kid, thought Kevin as water rolled down the young man in front of him, the power of cultivation really is frightening indeed.


    ¡°Do come in, Commander Robert,¡± the old man said, watching the young man as he entered the worn down house and removed his soaked coat.


    ¡°I see you remember me, Kevin,¡± the young man smiled and removed his boots.


    ¡°How could I forget?¡± asked the old man. ¡°You were a person I worshiped and admired back then.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore?¡±


    ¡°Time changes a man, Commander Robert,¡± laughed Kevin. ¡°I¡¯ve grown old and you¡¯re still as young as you were back then. Ironic, isn¡¯t it?


    Kevin Balo. 53rd son of John Balo, clan head of the Balo Clan.¡± said the young man, skipping the small talk. ¡°I assume you know why I¡¯ve come today.¡±


    ¡°I do, I do.¡± the old man nodded several times. ¡°Old me finally did something worthy of the clan¡¯s attention, and now you want to take me back. Right?¡±


    ¡°I see old age hasn¡¯t clouded your mind.¡± replied Robert.


    ¡°So," Kevin returned. "how do you want to do it? Do you want the sole rights to the pill recipe for free? Do you want me to slave away the last years I have¡­ for you?¡± His brown eyes were not as gentle anymore.


    Robert cleared his throat. This man, he thought, must feel immense hatred for the clan. Can we really win him over to our side?


    ¡°So how''s it going to be my dear commander?"


    ¡°Fifty-fifty.¡±


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Your father, the clan head, proposed that we¡¯ll split the profits fifty-fifty. We will, of course, stand for the material cost, and the selling of the product.¡± Robert explained.


    ¡°That sounds¡­ reasonable.¡± the old man nodded. ¡°Then will you procure me sufficient space and high-quality tools for maximum efficiency as well?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Robert was stunned. He never thought it would be so easy. I see, thought robert, he must really miss the clan. Hate can drive the kindest people to do unspeakable things, but love can drive the most devilish into kind once again.


    ¡°I see.¡± Kevin nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s get seated. My old legs are tired.¡±


    ¡°Great, I have the documents here. You just have to sign and the deal is as good as done.¡±


    Robert hurried to his coat on the racket by the door and fumbled with some papers before coming back. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Kevin took the papers and put them on the table, carefully reading through them. He nodded several times as he read. ¡°Everything in order. Just as you said.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Robert rejoiced. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to bring back the good news to your father. He will be overjoyed!¡±


    The old man wrinkled his nose. ¡°Good news? What good news?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Robert. ¡°Obviously that you signed the papers.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t though.¡± Kevin laughed. ¡°Who said I did that?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Robert¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡°You see, Commander Robert,¡± the old man thumped the table with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m the kind of man who likes freedom and the option of choice. Go tell my dear father, that I will properly look through all offers that arrives to my doorstep before I make a decision.¡±


    ¡°I hope you understand that this is probably your only chance to return to the clan. Why waste it?¡± the young man said angrily.


    ¡°Waste it? Hah! I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s mistaken. I mean, you are the ones who made the mistake back then.¡± the old man retorted.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it¡¯s all about?¡± snorted the commander. ¡°You should well understand the clan head¡¯s choice of sending you¨C¡±


    ¡°Understand? Understand?!¡± Kevin slammed his palm into the table. He then straightened his robe and said. ¡°Commander Robert. I¡¯d like for you to leave now. I have more¡­ important matters to deal with.¡±


    Robert fumed with anger and took his coat from the racket before leaving, saying. ¡°Fine. Make sure you don¡¯t regret it later.¡±